Shillong, May 11: BJP cabinet minister AL Hek has claimed that he never met AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma after the formation of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2 government.
However, what Mukul said on Wednesday was that he met Hek on March 3 and that was before the formation of the government.Hek wanted Mukul to prevent the formation of the MDA-2 government.
The oath taking ceremony of Chief Minister and his cabinet team was on March 7.
Hek told reporters on Thursday that he was surprised to learn that Mukul had stated that he had met him and expressed unhappiness against the government.
“That is totally wrong because I have not met Mukul Sangma after forming the MDA-2 government,” he said.
On Wednesday, Mukul, while denying any discussion with AL Hek about a possible merger with the saffron party revealed that in fact Hek had requested the AITC leadership to ensure that the NPP-led MDA government does not come back to power in the state.
Mukul was reacting to Hek’s claim of having met him and AITC state president Charles Pyngrope over a ‘cup of tea’ and discussed a possible merger with BJP.
Trinamool state president Pyngrope had also denied having tea with Hek to discuss the merger issue.
According to Hek, he met Mukul during tea break at the chamber of the Speaker during the assembly session.
“We never talked about politics. We also never talked against the government. We were sitting like colleague legislators. We were talking about the welfare of the state, about the Assembly but we did not talk against anybody,” he added.
“I have not met him so how is he saying that I told him that we are going against the government. I have not met him,” Hek said while revealing that he was in fact approached by TMC leaders but not Mukul Sangma during the formation of the government.
He said other leaders from UDP, PDF and Congress had also met him during the government formation. According to him, he cannot deny them if they want to meet him.
“Whatever decision taken by the central leadership I have to follow in toto, that the decision and instruction given by the national leadership, national president, union home minister, even the CM of Assam he called me that we are going to form the MDA government under the leadership of the NPP and we have to work under their leadership only. So there is no question of going against the government when the party has taken the decision. We have to follow accordingly,” he added.
